Abstract: A sugar beet harvest apparatus provides in sequence a pair of field cultivator teeth, a pair of discs, and subsequent thereto a V-shaped basket of helical screw propellers. The field cultivator teeth and discs may be spaced nominally to engage both sides of a single crop row, or in an alternative embodiment may be spaced nominally to engage one side of a first crop row, and the opposed side of a second adjacent crop row. In either case, the field cultivator teeth pierce the soil and gently lift the root crop. The discs may flip the beets and soil into the helical screw propellers. A pair of ground-level helical screw propellers lift the root crop, while pulverizing the soil and cleaning the root crop in the process. Each of the helical screw propellers lift the root crop, while pushing rocks and soil rearward proximate to the soil surface.

Abstract: A header which is couplable with a base unit of an agricultural harvester. The header includes a rotatably driven first sub-system, a rotatably driven second sub-system, a first input drive, and a second input drive. The first input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The first input drive is configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed. The second input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The second input drive is configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.

Abstract: A stalked crop harvesting header comprising multiple harvesting units each comprising a pair of deck plates defining a channel, a pair of snapping rollers mounted below the deck plates and adapted to pull stalks downwardly through the channel, a pair of gathering chains provided with cams, the gathering chains extending between a first pair of gears located at a front end of the harvesting unit and a second pair of gears located at a back end of the harvesting unit, wherein each harvesting unit further comprises a pair of stalk guiders positioned to rotate around axes coinciding with respective axes of the first pair of gears, wherein the stalk guiders each comprise an upper stalk guiding wheel and a lower stalk guiding wheel which are interconnected, and wherein a cutting element is provided below the lower stalk guiding wheel to cut stalks while being guided by the stalk guider.

Abstract: A stalk and root shredder that is provided with rollers which grasp and move stalks and roots upwardly into the path of rotation of blades which shred the stalks and roots and deposits them back onto the ground surface. The stalk and root shredder is hydraulically powered from pump units mounted directly from the tractor by connection with the power take off spline thereby eliminating the use of a power take off shaft. The hydraulic system includes separate hydraulic motors for driving the rollers and blades with the hydraulic system including a cooling arrangement which maintains optimum operating temperatures of the motor and hydraulic fluid. The stalk and root shredder includes a supporting frame and wheels with this structure being quite similar to that illustrated in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,667 issued Apr. 5, 1977 with the present invention relating to the improvements in the structure and hydraulic operation of the rollers and blade assemblies mounted over the rollers.

Abstract: A bulb harvester with structure for lifting foliage attached to bulbs for presentation to an upper set of rotatably supported belts affixed to define a first foliage receiving crack. The first receiving crack is narrow for tightly gripping foliage attached to a bulb. The upper set of belts are positioned at a divergent angle relative to the ground. With rotation of the upper set of belts, gripped foliage with an attached bulb is drawn upward from the ground due to the divergent angle and transported toward the rear of the harvester. A lower set of elongated members define a second foliage receiving crack positioned below the first receiving crack to allow the first and second foliage receiving cracks to simultaneously possess the foliage of a bulb with the bulb positioned below a bottom plane of the lower set of elongated members.

Abstract: Harvesting apparatus comprising a chassis, apparatus for loosening the roots of a crop from the ground, conveyor apparatus for engaging crops and transporting them to a first location, and haulm cutting apparatus engaging the crops at the first location and being operative for separating the haulm from the remaining portion of the crops, the haulm cutting apparatus comprising a pair of cooperating, counter-rotating, generally parallel disposed augers, having screw threads formed thereon, the augers being configured to define a broadened entrance region wherein the screw threads of the pair of augers are separated from each other by a separation which exceeds the separation between the solids of rotation defined by rotation of the augers.

Abstract: An apparatus for harvesting produce such as tomatoes and the like growing on plastic mulch covered beds without damage to the plastic mulch or to the fruits, and a method for such harvesting. A narrow reciprocating cutter is moved along the line of plants a short distance above the surface of the plastic film and maintained at the selected height by an automatic height control. A lifting device lifts pendant plant foliage and fruit clear of the plastic mulch surface and above the cutter. After cutting of the stem, a plant is engaged by a conveyor that carries it to the rear of the apparatus. A reel having flexible paddles urges the plants onto the conveyor. The plastic mulch and associated irrigation tubing is not disturbed and other crops may be planted without replacement of the plastic. The apparatus may be pulled and powered from a high clearance tractor in which instance the plants are redeposited on the bed surface for wilting.